Shloka 24
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
स्वाध्याययज्ञा ऋषयो ज्ञानयज्ञास्तथा परे | अथापरे महायज्ञान् मनस्येव वितन्वते
svādhyāya-yajñā ṛṣayo jñāna-yajñās tathā pare | athāpare mahā-yajñān manasyeva vitanvate ||
کچھ رِشی ویدوں کے سوادھیائے کو ہی یَجْیَہ کے روپ میں کرتے ہیں، کچھ لوگ گیان-یَجْیَہ میں منہمک رہتے ہیں، اور کچھ دیگر بغیر کسی ظاہری نمود کے اپنے ہی من میں دھیان-روپ مہایَجْیَہ کو پھیلاتے ہیں۔
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that ‘yajña’ is not limited to external ritual: it includes disciplined Vedic study (svādhyāya), the pursuit of liberating knowledge (jñāna), and purely inward worship through mental contemplation. Different temperaments follow different legitimate paths of sacred practice.
Nakula is describing the varied spiritual disciplines practiced by sages—classifying them into those focused on Vedic recitation and study, those centered on knowledge and insight, and those who perform great ‘sacrifices’ internally through meditation—thereby broadening the understanding of religious duty beyond outward rites.